I support you. I am glad for you. You are right that there is no difference whether you stay or go. You don't need anybody's permission if your mind is made up and you are called to it. If you would regret not doing it, then you should do it. Regrets hold you back. The life unlived is what binds us. I guess it is up to you if you brush your teeth or not or eat whatever you want. I disagree with the implication that if you choose to wander then you also have to choose to not brush your teeth or take care of your body. It is fine if you don't. You seem to know what is best for you. You might find that you want to opt out of it as well. Who is to say that you can't? I opted out because that was what the circumstances of life guided me to do. It is my dharma to raise a son now. I am free to adapt to life. My son would suffer more if I was still a wandering Yogi. This is the sacrifice I make for him. I still serve the Dharma, I sacrifice my preferences of how to do that for the sake of my child. This is a spiritual lesson for me just as being a wandering Yogi for many years has been a lesson for me. I grew, I learned the lessons, and had to be open to learning new lessons.

Thank you Skywalker for your support.I will brush my teeth Like i said i am practically homeless as it is, i am a cook but am unemployed, as a cook i will definetly find a job.There are tent citys across the country, i am sure they won't mind me in there midst...

greentara wrote:As a wandering yogi should one be so concerned with good food, nutrition, dental health etc?

It is absolutely important to make sure one eats good, healthy, nutritious food and take care of one's health as a serious practitioner at least until one has some concrete realization. Why? Because an ailing body and health will inevitably lead to dull faculties and progress with meditation will be impossible. One will just end up squandering one's precious human life. However, I didn't say one should be obsessed or attached to the above necessities. But one must work within one's means. One can also learn chulen and develop the ability to rely on gross, material food less and less. And with some concrete realization, one could even rely on the essence of the elements and such. But one has to move in that direction gradually and under a realized lama's guidance. There are sure to be some very unique individuals in the world--even the West--who have developed their practice and realization in former lives and who are thus ready to just jump into the wandering ascetic life like flipping a switch... But for everyone else, any idea of just dropping all concern for one's well-being--i.e. whether one has shelter from the elements, good food to eat, and hygiene--because "that's what real yogis do" is just a foolish fantasy.

Anyway, to Rikudou, I'm not comparing what you're thinking of doing to the above. It sounds like you're just kinda used to living by the seat of your pants as it is, so the biggest difference will be that you'll be moving around instead of settling down. That's my impression, at least. I'm sure you'll be fine as long as you keep working with the transmission you've received, following Rinpoche's advice, and keeping a good head on your shoulders. The only additional thing I'd recommend considering is planning for your future, i.e. your old age. Maybe you'll remain in great shape no matter how old you get. Some people do. But maybe you won't and you'll face some great challenges. But I suppose if you practice really thoroughly and correctly enough throughout your life, however you end up physically, your realization could have become immovable and however you end up dying won't matter at all to you. Just things to think about...

I think it is better to first become a yogi. To become a yogi you need discipline, renunciation, faith and compassion. Considering the difficulty to practice even for a few hours every day even when you have a home and good I would never encourage someone that don't have many years of unfailing practice to become a wandering yogi. Dharma centers always needs cooks in my experience, so you could help out during big events. There might be a lot of hardships right there, but certainly there will also be teachings, empowerment's and the joy of good friends. Just giving up smoking, drinking, drugs and so on might be a challenge in discipline and disenchantment with the world which is the heart of the yogis life. It took me almost 10 years as a Buddhist before giving up smoking, I know many that still haven't managed that. During those years, while I was still smoking, I tried to live a life of a yogi without any other ambition than to practice. It led to many difficulties but when I finally got a proper work my practice also got more stable and I managed to stop smoking see my Guru more often and so on.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

i may not have much experience as a buddhist but i have been a practicing vaishnav since i was 12chanting 100,000 mantras daily sometimes even more..i have attained samadhi several times using mantrabut thats not important, i will of course contact dharma cnters, in fact thats where im going when i leave...

The reason why there are not more people taking up the wandering yogi approach is that teachers rarely approve this type of practice. In Tibet the famous yogis were all working with a transmission that included yogic practice. There were homeless practitioners in Tibet who took on the outward form of yogis but since they weren't working with a teacher they were mostly forgotten. So for a yogi you MUST work with a teacher who understands what you are doing and who can guide you. You must have your teachers blessing otherwise your trip will be an ego trip. Ok that said it seems you have the desire to move around. This in a traditional context is more akin to pilgrimage. So if you have any pilgrimage places to visit then go for it. You could of course get a job, save some money and do a pilgrimage in India. That would be something and you can wander to your hearts content there.

The Blessed One said:

"What is the All? Simply the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavors, body & tactile sensations, intellect & ideas. This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range." Sabba Sutta.

Andrew108 wrote:The reason why there are not more people taking up the wandering yogi approach is that teachers rarely approve this type of practice. In Tibet the famous yogis were all working with a transmission that included yogic practice. There were homeless practitioners in Tibet who took on the outward form of yogis but since they weren't working with a teacher they were mostly forgotten. So for a yogi you MUST work with a teacher who understands what you are doing and who can guide you. You must have your teachers blessing otherwise your trip will be an ego trip. Ok that said it seems you have the desire to move around. This in a traditional context is more akin to pilgrimage. So if you have any pilgrimage places to visit then go for it. You could of course get a job, save some money and do a pilgrimage in India. That would be something and you can wander to your hearts content there.

I completely agree with you.I dont want it to be a ego trip.Im not a wandering yogi like you say, more like a pilgrim, willing to get off my butt and go to those places I only dreamed about.there are teachers willing to train me. i have been corresponding and making contacts. A main contact is in california. he traveled and was initiated with a siddha sadhu in brja, inda for 12 years. i will visit and learn extensively.he is also a vajrayana practicioner.thee are other places for me to lay my head.

I guess wandering pilgrim is more exact, you actually concluded what i wanted to do very nicely, im looking at it more from this perspective. i guess i chose yogi because of the wandering thing...

p.s. thank you for taking the time to write me, im very thankful to correspond with you

"What is the All? Simply the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavors, body & tactile sensations, intellect & ideas. This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range." Sabba Sutta.

bless to have a place to stay in missouri, its a huge house, actuall it was a school back in the day.it's like a ashram for spiritual lifeand i have a oppurtunity to work with a sanskrit professor out there so

RikudouSennin wrote:so this is extremely hard, yes i have shelter, but things are still diffucult, im leaving to california in a week to study with my Bhajana Guru and to receive sacred energy healing etc.

overall difficult experience, but well worth it, still voyaging.

Wishing you good luck and happy trails.

/magnus

"To reject practice by saying, 'it is conceptual!' is the path of fools. A tendency of the inexperienced and something to be avoided."- Longchenpa

RikudouSennin wrote:so this is extremely hard, yes i have shelter, but things are still diffucult, im leaving to california in a week to study with my Bhajana Guru and to receive sacred energy healing etc.

overall difficult experience, but well worth it, still voyaging.

Dear RikudouSennin, I hope you are staying warm and well fed. If you are heading to California, I recommend you try to get up to the Santa Cruz mountains and make it to this powerful retreat happening soon. Maybe they will be open to you doing work-study, helping in the kitchen or otherwise. Look below for details. Even if you could be there just to help more full time, and couldn't be in the puja much, there is powerful blessings just being in the mandala of the space, and participating through helping with whatever work you're given. Then maybe you can meet the Lamas.. Yudron, a member here would know more. . Here is the website and contact info:

The powerful practice of Vajrakilaya is traditionally done in the days leading up to the Tibetan New Year (Losar) to cleanse all manner of obstacles/ obscurations accumulated in the outgoing year in order to start the New Year on a fresh auspicious note.

This year we will do Dudjom Lingpa’s Namchak Putri Vajrailaya practice (compiled by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche), which is rarely performed in the West. Please join Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Lama Sonam Rinpoche, Tulku Jamyang and visiting lamas and sangha friends in this practice. We are particularly happy that many of the Drubdra retreatants who did this practice for over 4 years in retreat will join us.

"I’d like to invite all my Dharma friends and anyone who is interested to join us at Pema Ösel Ling this February for our annual Vajrakilaya Gutor and Losar (Tibetan New Year) Day Retreat.

“Vajrakilaya is one of the main yidam practices in the Nyingma lineage and is the root of spiritual accomplishment (siddhi). Gutor is a very wrathful activity traditionally performed on the final days of the last month of the year. At the very end of the old year, all the negative activities and undesirable circumstances are incinerated and Illness, demonic influence and obstacles pacified, bringing in a fresh and pure new year complete with all positive qualities, including short term happiness during this life and the long term happiness of enlightenment. Through this practice, relative circumstances such as longevity, merit, glories, wealth, joy, and family lineage are increased, and on the path, meditation qualities, experience, wisdom and fruition of practice are accomplished.

“I’m very excited to do this very special practice with the sangha. It’s particularly special because it was the main focus for one group of our drubdra retreatants and they will join us this year in our practice. I hope you too can join us to learn the practice and continue to carry this precious tradition. Since we have all these wonderful circumstances coming together at this time, why not do it?!"

With love from your old Dharma friend, Lama Tharchin

To read Rinpoche’s words in full, to register and for preliminary pricing and scheduling info please click here

For now,here is a brief schedule:.

Feb 7-9 --- Namchak Putri practice culminating in the Gutor casting of the wrathful torma (which obliterates all our accumulated obstacles) in the afternoon of Feb 9. The wrathful Black Hat dance ritual accompanies this process. This is followed by a “celebration” fortune soup shared by all. Your fortune for the coming year (!) is hidden in a dumpling inside the soup.

there is one factor to considerthere are practices appropriate for wandering, and ones for people staying in one place in solitude. u should consider this . not merely deciding that youre going to wander that is appropriate for instance if one is goingto do chod , perhaps . if one is working just on a yidam it might be bettter to stay alone cultivating focusedness.

There's a guy called Ibby Okinyi who recently set his Australian passport on fire and is now walking from Norway to Spain without a red cent to his name, living off dumpster food, wild fruit and the kindness of strangers.